By Katie Belflower
Restobiz and Technomic’s Concepts to Watch this month features Odd Burger, Beertown, and Souvlaki Bar as three Canadian innovative restaurants. Building and growing your restaurant concept is vital to getting ahead in the fiercely competitive foodservice industry. Creating a menu that reflects your restaurant will get you more attention, help you stand out, and grow your profits.
Odd Burger
ChickUN Cordon Bleu
Image Source: Odd Burger Instagram
Facebook: 24,000 likes | Instagram: 35,125 followers | Twitter: 554 followers
Locations: 9 (Ontario and Alberta)
Concept characteristics:
- Quick-service vegan restaurant that started out as a food truck
- Has its own manufacturing centre to produce food and conduct research and development
- Aims to use sustainable and minimally processed ingredients
- Locally sourced supply chain
Menu snapshot:
- Housemade burger patties are crafted from wheat and soy protein, flax seeds, onions, nutritional yeast, and a special seasoning blend
- Burger options include the BacUn Famous Melt with dairy-free cheese and plant-based bacon, and the Preposterous Burger with two patties and dairy-free mayonnaise
- ChickUn seitan fillets are made with oats, chickpeas, wheat gluten, and nutritional yeast
- ChickUn sandwiches are available as the Buffalo ChickUn Sandwich, Sticky ChickUn with Korean sesame sauce, and the ChickUn Cordon Bleu with plant-based ham
- Vegan poutines with plant-based sauces and cheeses include the Classic, ChickUn BacUn Ranch Poutine, and Smoky Pulled Jack Poutine
Beertown
Selection of beers
Image Source: Beertown Instagram
Instagram: 14,068 followers | Twitter: 6,743 followers
Locations: 9 (Ontario)
Concept characteristics:
- Full-service concept with a focus on craft beer, identifying itself as the leader in the craft beer dining revolution
- Fresh food menu drawing from global inspirations
- Offers a loyalty program
- Locations also include a bottle shop with takeout beverage options
Menu snapshot:
- Focus on fresh, organic ingredients
- Offers globally inspired bowls such as the Asian Salmon Bowl and Yucatan Bowl
- Handheld options include Beer’ville Hot Chicken, Smashed Lamb Burger, and California Turkey Burger
- Has a rotating bottle and draft beer program with 40 taps
- Select beers include IPAs, golden ales, sours, hefeweizens, witbiers, fruit beers, and stouts
Souvlaki Bar
Chicken Souvlaki
Image Source: Souvlaki Bar Instagram
Facebook: 11,000 likes | Instagram: 4,054 followers
Locations: 16 (Quebec)
Concept characteristics:
- Fast-casual chain serving up Greek food
- Quality and freshness are the heart of the concept
- Most are in-line units, with some free-standing locations
- Restaurants feature Greek decor reminiscent of seaside tavernas on the islands and coasts of Greece
- Franchise opportunities are available
Menu snapshot:
- Tagline of “Je suis fresh” emphasizes the importance of fresh ingredients
- Menus several appetizer options including Greek Feta, Spanakopita, and Grilled Octopus
- Gyros come in pork and chicken varieties, and souvlaki comes in pork, chicken, and veggie options
- Selection of “From the Acropolis” drinks including the Yuzu & Tonic, SVK Spritz, Greek Mojito, and Souvlaki Caesar
- Selection of Greek wines, beers, and spirits
Concepts Watch is based on restaurant and menu concepts and trends noted by Technomic Inc.
Katie Belflower is Associate Editor for Technomic, a Chicago-based foodservice research and consulting firm. Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights, and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions, and results. The company’s services include publications and digital products as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry, including menu trends.
Concepts to Watch feature image via Odd Burger Facebook
